Reviews by brewyou2:

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Though murky and a sort of muddy brown-orange, there's a certain beauty in an almost localized but deep-shining brightness, like a gem glowing at the bottom of a recently stirred-up river bed. The head, tinged a paler version of the brown-orange the beer itself is, is small and bubbly. It's not a whole lot more than a foam, and a loosely soapy one at that, but it leaves some reasonably good lacing on the glass's walls.The complexity, while brought to completion in the flavor, begins in the aroma though not completely showcased. Bready in the malts with some caramel and dark fruits, the yeast plays out with a whole lot of different but ultimately complementary notes to make the whole. It's somewhat earthy under lots of varied spiciness, like a spice cake that might have had a little rum added. A bit of clove, a cake-like quality to the sweet breadiness, clove and banana notes make for a welcome anticipation....and the taste doesn't disappoint. It's the same overall profile and individual factors more fully expressed, with maybe a hint more hops as well as a stronger note to the peppery aspect of the spiciness. Otherwise, the tongue also gets all the thick breads, dark fruits, warming alcohol, earth, caramel, clove and banana, as well as a little more from hints of something almost woody and some pale fruit flesh, even a little tartness underneath it all.There's lots of crispness to the feel of this beer in its medium, almost full but very refreshing body. Never too sweet, it ends up more semi-dry as the tongue makes the effort to feel all the complexity as well as tasting it. It has a bit of smoothness to it with the bite, though it certainly focuses on crisp and more hearty than rich.

Man I relly like this "big" beer,pours a deep amber with a nice thick off-white creamy head,nice sweet almond/caramel smell with slight alcohol notes.A malty,nutty tasting beer with some fruity hints in the finish ( a long finish at that).Very warming something to drink before bed.

Appearance: Cloudy amber/dark orange. Huge frothy head. Plenty of active carbonation. A very lively pour even though the head doesn't hold up forever.

Smell: Big and malty. Plenty of spice in the nose. Hints of some fruit and underlying sweetness. There are earthy qualities as well.

Taste: Dark and rich maltiness. Complex fruit & spice flavours are present throughout. Noticeable hints of clove and maybe a pinch of cinamon. Dark fruitiness with sweet hints of caramel. Some woody notes as well. Great body and pleasant balance. A dry, earthy finish with some tartness and a warm alcohol kick.

Mouthfeel: Lively and fresh. Plenty of carbonation and sparkling qualities. Smooth out towards the end.

Drinkability: A great, full beer. I could drink this almost anytime, unless the weather is too hot. This is one of my personal favorites. One of Unibroue's absolute best.

Holy cow, this beer tastes like heaven. It's so complex that I think any attempt to apply qualitative descriptors would be in vain. Words cannot describe how delicous this beer is. Everything about Maudite is very well balanced, from the alcohol and hops to the spices and fruit. This is the best I've ever tasted in the style. Rock and roll, Unibroue.

Appearance  This pours a beautiful, thick cloudy brown. The head was full and left some lacing.

Smell  Big malt and spicy yeast aromas fill the nose. This is a terrific smelling brew, full of caramel and fruit scents.

Taste - The first hint of hops is quickly replaced by huge malt and caramel flavors. The body is very deep, mature, raw, and spicy, with a complex fruity boldness of predominantly banana and clove-spiked apple. Theres also a presence of alcohol and many other flavors that I cant pinpoint.

Mouthfeel  Lively carbonation slowed this one down a bit. I thought it was a little too much for the style. But, its a full-bodied ale that you can sip, suck, chew, or pack in between your cheeks and gum like a wad of tobacco.

Drinkability  This went down smooth as silk.

Comments  This is my idea of a BSDA. I chose this for my 100th beer review to commemorate the occasion.

Update  Well, I had this for my 100th review and now, here I am, over a year later, with 1,220 reviews. I thought Id give this one another full tasting and see how my opinion of it withstands the test of time.

I didnt see a need to elaborate on the Appearance: its perfect. The aroma and taste are damn near perfect. I didnt get any hops this time around but thought the huge butter flavor was just a bit much. Keep in mind that Im trying to differentiate here between a 4.5 and a perfect 5.0.

The style allows for high carbonation. Having said that, I thought this was just a bit too much. Ill say now that it is not quite full-bodied, although the beautiful and full flavors probably demand it to be so. All in all this is one of my favorite BSDAs. I stand by my overall 4.5 rating that I gave this back in August 2003.

One of my very favorite non-Belgian Belgians. Murked copper caked in rich vanilla foam and chocolate sprinkles. Super spicy nose. Extremely complicated and well candied. Loaded with lemon, pepper, alcohol, toast, mint, chocolate, and plum candies. Tastes yeasty with very Belgianish malts. Carbonation is off the spectrum making this one loads of fun to drink. Acidic yet fluffy. Thats an accomplishment. Finish is yeasty, drying, and peppery.

Of the Unibroue beers I've tried (Don De Dieu and La Fin Du Monde) this is my favorite. I still need to try Trois Pistoles. I'm a big fan of Belgian style beers and I would have to put this on my recommendation list.

Pours a dark brown and slightly copper-embossed color; murky and borderline swampy with a low-profile, khaki-beige head that settles to a ring fairly quickly. Looks like your typical BSDA, perhaps a little less lively than most but the color and body seems to be pretty much on par.

It reminds me of a dubbel on the nose - but then again, what's really the difference between a dubbel and a BSDA? Lots of Candi sugar with a little sprinkle of brown sugar as well. Dark fruits; plums, grapes, and maybe just a tiny bit of figs. Thick, Belgian yeast is apparent with it's seemingly spiced aroma and little hints of clove and rotten banana.

The yeast is the first thing that my palate pick up on when taking a sip. Bubblegum-like with a dash of clove and some other spice that tastes like something you'd sprinkle on a holiday pie. Candied fruits; mildly sweet and sugary with lots of carbonation that hits the tongue and all sides of the mouth immediately. Plums and raisins that have been soaked in a vat of tamed booze and rolled around in brown sugar. Though I may be overstating the sweetness just a bit, the flavors are there.

Hops are very faint but show a grassy character in the finish leaving your mouth with a hint of bitterness. Fusel alcohol character pops out - something that's not usually expected for a brew that's only 8% ABV, but Belgian strong ales often have a higher alcohol presence on the palate. The yeast goes from the clove-bubblegum style to a harsh dryness in the finish that almost adds a woody and slightly funky taste. Maybe not your typical "barnyard" flavors, but there's definitely some kind of funk in the finish. Medium bodied, creamy, with a good snap and crisp, dry finish with lots of carbonation.

Definitely a good BSDA, reminds me quite a bit of a dubbel, not sure what exactly sets this apart and perhaps I'll never know. Might be slightly overrated, but this is still pretty drinkable, although there are definitely a handful of readily available competitors I'd probably choose over this one.

Served in a Maudite snifter, this beer pours with 3 fingers of pillowy head that crest over the top of the glass. It holds together well leaving tons of fine lacing. The body is a dark auburn color, slightly hazy. There's a gentle fragrance that is clove-y and yeasty, with a farm-fresh quality that intensifies as it warms and is swirled. Almost minty.

There's a lot to like out of the first sip; abundant caramel and specialty malt flavor balanced well with the Belgian yeast, and a light, wet, yet highly carbonated almost soda-like mouthfeel that seems to provide exceptional drinkability. Finishes spicy but still not dry. This beer provides a jolt to all senses.

If I could change anything, it might be sacrificing some drinkability for more depth in the body. If I'm paying $2.50 a bottle I'm probably not going to be pounding these all night, so it could sit a little heavier. Still, that's a minor complaint. Very nice, and now I'm even more proud of my Maudite snifter.

A: The beer pours a kind of murky brown color with amber hues when held up to the light and a nice thick foamy head with great retention and lacing. Overall, the appearance is probably the weakest aspect of this beer. It simply looks a little too cloudy with the lees yet to be poured in.

S: The aroma of this beer is quite appealing. The Unibroue website notes that the nose is filled with malt, orange and spices and this is right on. In my opinion, the orange is the dominant characteristic with some spices, malt sweetness, and a hint of alcohol following closely after.

T: The taste of this beer resembles the nose: Orange, malts, and a spicy crispness at the finish. In addition, there is the unmistakable Belgian Yeast like qualities with Belgian candied sugar as well as mild raisin qualities. Quite pleasant but not necessarily anything that will blow you away.

M: Very light mouthfeel. This is a very easy beer to drink especially considering the high alcohol content. Definitely a lot of carbonation which is on par with other Belgian style beers.

O: This was my second time having this beer. Upon my first tasting I found it outstanding but after trying other Belgian Dark Ales, namely the Delirium Nocturnum, this beer is merely just a good beer. It is definitely a great introduction to the style, and I would highly suggest pairing it alongside Unibroue's Trois Pistoles in order to fully experience the range of flavors present in the style.